Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1887-10-28

nave llcNtlollcu 1 al 1auitS, now
let me tell You some of his better quail
ties. lie was honest. clcau-mouthcd.a and,
generally speaking, truthful, as well rs
kind-heartcd and generous to an eX-
traya%ant degree. He had attended the
night schools - attracted ut first by
their warmth and comfort where he
learned to read credtably, spell fairly.
write lcgibly and cipher understand
ingly. But, with his superiority in many
respects over the associates among
whom his lot OF late had been thrown.
Tad, in thinking matters over, had to
confess that, in q business point of
view, he had been any thing but a sue
cess. The truth is, Tad was not sharp
or INSCRIPTIONS enough to compete
with his fellows; but this fact he did
not recognize.
Il guess I'm not one of the lucky
ones" he murmured. rather ruefully,
as he mentally reviewed his many
business failures, while the swift train,
which was bearing him away from the
scene of them all, to fresh fields and
pastures new, went laundering on
through the darkness toward Boston.
Boston! AS Tad's thoughts reverted
from the past, the name repeated itself
over in his mind. Seems rs though
heard mother say once that l had an
Aunt Rhoda who lived in Boston, or
Bangor. or-anyway. it was a place
that began with Is, somewhere down
East unused Tad. Not that he
hoped, expected or even desired to meet
this, the only relative he knew of in
the world. 1t was enough to remember
that she had never held communication
with Mrs. Thorne since her marriage to
some one whom her older sister Rhoda
did not like. And a slight offered to
his mother was in Tad's eyes an I'M
pardonable oflense.
But so much thinking, together with
the warmth Of the steam-heating pipes
at his back and the even, on-rushing
movement of the train, began to make
Tad drowsy. Peeping out of his hiding
place. he could see that many of the
passengers were disposing themselves
for uneasy slumber, and, judging by
certain sounds from the chair in front of
him, Tad's lady was already in dream
land. So, lean..g his head back against
tho fur-lined cloak which had already
served him such good turn, and,
being used to sleeping in all sorts of
postures and places, Tad fell fast asleep
in no time. Ronsing himself at inter-
walls long enough 10 silently change his
cramped position, Tad passed the long
night in comparative comfort, until
with the dawn of morning all began to
shake off their drowsiness, and to
struggle into more comfortable posi-
tons, as they grumbled about not hay
ing slept wink during the night.
Tad's lady was not exactly cross, but
Tad noticed that she called her hus-
band Mr.. Mason, instead of 'John,
1ear," as on the evening before, when
she asked him how he had rested. And
he also noticed that Mr.. Mason's voice
was rather sharp as he replied that the
,onfounded chair had given him three
distinct kinks in his backbone, and
while economy was well enough in its
place, by George! another time he'd
have his own way, and take section
in sleeper" as sure as his name
was John Mason!
$50, my ladyis Mrs. john Mason"
Tad thought to himself. trying in his
Imagination to picture her face from
the sound of her voice, and failing en-
tirely. But without well knowing why,
he resolved not to forget the name of
the lady whO-as he mentally OK
pressed it-"belonged to the fur-lined
cloak. Other and less pleasant thoughts
began 70 obtrude themselves. rs tho
morning wore on. Now that he was
SO near his destination, Tad's growing
anxiety as to his future movements
contrasted rather strongly with his
philosophy Of the previous evening.
"rn get something to eat, first Of
ALL" finally decided Tad. resolving not
to lay any plans till this important duty
had been performed. He had cash
capital of ten cents. together with two
boxes Of matches rs balance of stock
in trade, so that he felt sure of q
breakfast-not q luxurious one, it is
true-but, like stale bun, very filling
for the price.
Besides, there was the sachel-he
could readily raise something on it at
the pawnbroker's. but that don't
seem to be doing the square thing by
the heightened old party, after ALL"
unused Tad, thoughtfully; 'for even if
I don't ever run across him again
which the Observation-Disclosures bust
ness isn't circumstance to the chances
of doing-the bag isn't mine, after all.
wonder what's inside" he continued,
curiously, as he lifted it to his lap-"a
box Of paper collars, and q toothbrush,
or lot of thousan' dollar bonds?" But
his newly-awakened curiosity remained
unqualified. The sachel was securely
locked. and its peculiarly-shaped key
was probably at that moment in the
tall gentleman's pocket. wherever the
individual himself might be.
"Must be something valu'blc in
there, else it would't be fas'ned up so
close; and, If that's SO, the owner ii
advertise it Anyway, I'll hang on to
it till find out" was Tad's final de-
cisiOn. He would no moro have
thought Of forcing the lock to satisfy
curiosity than of breaking open
money-drawer.
A general stir among the passengers,
together with certain fragments Of con-
vcrsation which reached Tad's ear,
warned him that the end of his jour-
ney was at hand. Mrs. John Mason
was among those who began getting
in readiness for departure. As, de-
taching the cloak from the hook, she
withdrew its rich folds from behind
her chair, Tad lightly touched the soft
fur of the lining by way of a mute
farewell; after doing which he began
making his own preparations for leav-
ing. That is, he buttoned his thread
bare jacket tightly about him, ran his
/ fin norS tbrounb hi, v,o,> IS a,,,,l,, L.: